Six times World Champion Jim Redman will make his Castle Combe debut at the Wiltshire circuit’s annual Grand National Meeting which this year takes place over the weekend of Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July.
Redman will celebrate 50 years since he led the 500cc World Championship by riding the 500cc, 4 cylinder Honda bike as ridden previously by John McGuinness, for a few laps during Sunday’s Tribute Parade. Joining 
Jim on track will be two iconic motorcycle names as David Hailwood, son of legendary Mike, and Freddie Sheene, son of Barry, also take to the track.
The circuit and race organisers, the NG Road Racing Club have lined up a fabulous 20 race programme each day plus the Classic Parade but Sunday’s Tribute Parade by the star names will reinforce the claim that this meeting is probably one of the most popular outside of the MCE British Superbike Championship.
The appearance of Redman on the iconic 1960s racer will add to the Classic appeal of the meeting as along with the Classic Parade, there are rounds of the British Historic Championship where another great motorcycling name will be celebrated with the launch of the Ray Petty Trophy for the first Norton home in Sunday afternoon’s Lansdowne British Historic Championship feature race.
On display will be some of Ray’s bikes and the unique Petty car plus members of his family will be there to make the presentation itself. Ray’s name was synonymous with Nortons so it’s appropriate at the same event to welcome Steve Spray who will demonstrate one of the JPS Rotary bikes that he rode to British Championship success in the late 1980s.
The 20 race programme includes rounds of the ACU British Championships for 125GP and 250GP bikes, sidecars and just about every solo class imaginable. The coveted King of Castle Combe Trophy Race will be backed by Fowlers Motorcycles who celebrate their 90th anniversary this year as Castle Combe celebrates the 65th anniversary of the first bike meeting back in 1951.
Joining Fowlers Motorcycles as backers of the meeting are City Motors, Mr Blast and Turner Racing and there are more star names yet to be added. For further information please contact Rodney Gooch at the Circuit on 01249 782417 or email at rodney@castlecombecircuit.co.uk. Full information on the meeting is available on the Circuit’s website at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk where details of tickets can be found.
Image (courtesy of Jon Jessop): Freddie Sheene will be visiting Castle Combe for the Grand National
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